Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-01-06
THE COURSE. TO PURSUE.

NhoNIhAbt 4. Dec. -, 1850.
EDITOR INDIAN CHIEFTAIN:-At
the last election of principal chief
the National party published a
platform that purported to be the
Downing platform, claiming that it
being in pamphlet form it was the
only and original one extant, but
such was not true in the least. The
platform they thought they had so
thoroughly exposed aud given such
wide circulation was not the one
they aimed to attack and point out
its follies and discrepancies. BY
attacking that platform they
breathed into the original one new
life and vigor. Men belong to
political parties for the principles
they set forth and advocate, and
the spirit of fairness that pervades
them. Men in all parties should
be actuated by conscientious mo-
tives, to the extent that their
voting at the polls may be sincere,
regardless Of party affiliations. In
the infancy of the National party
it had prospects unequaled, and it
looked for a while as though it
would triumph over that party
that had preserved our national
existence in days past. We say
it seemed for time that party
would triumph over the one whose
principles were those advocated by
the Cherokees when they held
their councils in groves Of the old
nation. But the star of hope of
the National party has set to rise
no more. 1t has unnecessarily re-
tanned in Office old political fogies
who cling like teaches, and are
sapping the very life blood from
the veins Of our nation. A long
suffering people can and will no
longer tolerate such, and they pro-
pose seeking redress at the polls.
They propose remedying a national
question by demanding a change
in our political management. The
history of nations show that it is
by the most persistent effort aided
by the counsels OF their wisest
men continually that has given
them whatever excellencics they
may possess. The history of
American politics reveals the fact
that when one party is in power so
long, it cannot refrain from becom-
ing corrupt. But the question as
TO which Of the political parties is
the right one and which Of the two
should the citizens support is
matter for each voter TO decide for
himself, but we do not see how any
one with the opportunities they
have had Of seeing, can support the
nominee for chief on the National
ticket. Not that we think he has
not sufficient "aspiring nobility"
and is "fine type Of manhood"
whose excellencies Of judgment are
ungovernable, but we deplore the
idea Of supporting such one for
chief because the Cherokees have
always favored progress. They
believe in going onward and up
ward, and surely such could not
be their course by electing such an
executive who has not sufficient
intelligence TO make suggestion
or write his own name in English.
The days of paint, bows and arrows
are past in our history; it will take
something else besides paint and
arrows to compete with our white
brother who is continually hewing
down our forests and encroaching
upon our landed estate. AS Daniel
once SO eloquently said. "God
grant my day at least that curtain
may not rise" God grant in my
day that curtain may not rise in
which my dim vision may see a
nation Of twenty thousand people
take step backward, it took them